The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-11-02


| t1onal reputation. who was at that time en-.
gagged in writing. o book which has become q
text book in colleges and an authority in
c2urt-a legal work on the subject of Con
sqtutlonal mltations'-lnade it the subject
OF note IN his work, in which he denounced
| it to be
AN INEypREssIBLE OUTRAGE.
An immense mass meeting was held in the
| City OF New York, addressed by William NJ.
fy&fts, and. by the. greatest men Of both
| political parties Of this nation, in which they
declared, in, tones that could not be mis-
! taken, that the people of this country could
| no longer submit to these usurpatio for the
purpose Ct sustaining corrupt government in
the South, and right then and there Gen.
Grant saw thai, he had gone step too far.
He saw that ne had taxed the patience Of the
nation Just one step further than it would
| submit to, and he decided then and there to
| unload the carpet-bag government of the
| South, and he proceeded to do so as soon and
as gracefully as he could.
In 1876 we again entered that contest.
| we entered 1t with determination again to
| WIN, or to lose everything. We entered it
with, the most desperate resolves-ail the
people, bankers, merchants, lawyers, me-
| chanlcs, farmers, planters, every man
| every white man in the State Of Louisiana,
who was not connected by Office or through
his friends with the official life OF the KEEL
| iosg government entered into that desperate
contest. You know with what bresthless I'M
we awaited the results of the nominating
convention in Baton Ronge in 1 sT6. There
was no question then of Investigating" into
the records of our public servants who came
was not for, us to inquire whether
Gov. Witt had been q tine man, and whether
| he WAS connected with any ring. It
was not then that the lamented Heron, Of
patton Rouge was the subject OF investiga-
ton and Of, fractional fight. It was not then
that single chief of the Democratic party
was put upon trial, and was clucified at the
| bar OF public opinion. No, siTs, what we
wanted was the best man We could get. John
MlcAnery went there with the support of
with the support of the Florida parishes.
Louis, 4. Wilt went there with the support
of Orleans, and Nichols of Southwest Lou-
lslaGa and some Of the Red River parishes.
nomination might be harmonious, in order
that they might contribute to the fullest ex-
| tent Of their ability to the public good. The
nominstion of Gen. Francis L. Nichols was
| made for the simple reason that be was' the
| the Federal authorities had the least obiec-
ton. He was the man Of the most negative
! character. He. was the man who had not
tread upon anybody'5 toes. He was the man
no animoaities there, and he, for these rea-
| sons, was made the standard bearer OF the
| Democratic party.
When it is contended that it was the magic
| CT his name and the ring Of his voice that
led us to victory, it is to be
ABSURD AND RIDICULOUS.
When you look at the figures they will show
| that nearly every parish that went into that
| convention supporting Nichols for Cover
| nor, rolled up it's usual Republican majority,
while North Louisiana. which went there for
| MeEnefy, and Orleans, for Witt, did their
| full duty, and gave the votes which turned
that contest into victory. 1t is perfectly
absurd and ridiculous in my Judgment and
| in my opinion to claim that is was the magic
| OF Gny Nichols name and the stimulus of
| his presence which led US to victory in 1876.
AS matter OF course, as @ gallant soldier Of
| the Lost Cause, as man who had made sacri-
tices, who risked his life aud who had been
manned in the service OF his country, as an
honorable gentleman. and as the nominee of
our party, he was entitled to our respecr, he
was entitled TO orr earnest support, and he
was entitled that we should do everything
for him that we possibly could to make his
administration success. but TO say that we
owned him that devoted loyalty that was
| given in days gone BY TO monsrchs, when
kings ruled by divine right, and when MOBILES
and barons were the hereditary chiefs of their
| clans; to say that We should give him any
such adulation.. and any such worship is to
| give him . position which no man is entitled
| to OCCUPY before seif-goyeTning and {. self
reIeeting people; [Cheers.l
| Now, as | saiG to you awhile ago, my
esteem and my respect for our present able
Executive of this Stste il unlimited, but
would not stand in tho presence Ct mortal
man: l would not demcan myself in the
presence Of anything short Of deity itself,
and render the slayish and the fulsome adu-
Iation which is lavialied upon Gen. Nichols
| by his oMn speakers, OF his own stands, and
| IN his own presence. | say. fellow-citizens,
! 1t is contrary TO what ought to aeiuste a
s,eif-respect!hg and q seif-g2Setnine people.
| 4 man may have NY respect without being q
d3migod.. Gem. Nichoiis is ? mortal, and
while it is true he is = moral OF rs high an
order as we have. still he is q mortal only, and
that is all that any OF us arc;
NOW, III cOn2!ls3cr, VII lndOrse every
| thing that has been said By my friend the
| Hon. B. I. Jonas, and say thai in my i,ldg-
| nent IL is q shame that the Democracy OF
| Louisiana should today be
DIVIDED INTO HOSTILE CAaIps,
Sf tnat shane ICES + ot tE s becaps9
| our seeking. Ii the friends OF Gen. Nichols
had come forward and had sid that they de-
! sired 10 confer upon him the honor OF being
b ne oySrnor Of aL9ns I. i a9y Neo
icing your chief magistrate. honor it at
! your hands, y then [ say they would have had
& perfect riglit 10 do so, and my voice wnuit,
never be heard IL any such factions contest.
l. would say. Lei the people DISCUSS tillS
| thing among themselves. lot public opin-
ion, s,ettle down upon The. hest man,
| AID LEI that man be nominated" But
the friends Of Gen. Nichols have not said
50. They have, waged . contest and
ha' .inangrrated 3 campaign in which they
TO nominate Gen. Nichols. if that no.nina-
| ton We're not accompanied by the defeat, the
Disgrace and the humiliation Of Samuel D.
MoEnei.y aud that portion OF the Democratic
| party which stands by him and which sup
ports him." and say thar when they make
. campaign and contest Of this kind, self
respect, lnaIhood, loyalty, dqty and justice
require thai we shoUld meet it with the very
strongest estorts to prevent its accomplish
lnent, and that we should teach these gentle
men foT once and all that no man is powerful
enough to. make the Democratic party a
party - his personal Quarrels and that no
man will be put mp or taken down to please
any faction OF that organization.
Mr.. Boatner was frequently interrupted by
| applause, and the large audience cheered
| him heartily at the close of his remarks.
JUDGE ". A. SEIY.